Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1878 — Women in Austria. [ARTICLE]

Women in Austria.

The road from Vienna to Munich, over 300 miles, is through a beautiful country, mostly a broad valley, finely cultivated, the principal crops being grain. Most of the field-work on the farms was being done by the women, who were mowing and reaping in the hot sun, and swinging the scythe with a steadiness which snowed that they must have been raised to this kind of labor. There is no country in Europe that equals Austria in the severe labor that falls to the lot of women. On our way to the depot in Vienna yesterday morning we passed two wagons filled with barrels of plaster, each of which had a woman yoked to the tongue, with straps over her shoulders, ana was bending to the load as she drew it over the stones. In each case there were two men walking behind the wagon, with one hand on it, but giving very little assistance. They were, doubtless, plasterers, whilst the women were laborers, the latter doing all the laborious work for both plasterers and bricklayers. The ladies took occasion to give the omnibus man a piece of their mind on the subject, telling him that they did not treat women in America that way, and they would like to see the man who could make them do the work of horses whilst he strolled leisurely along. The fact is that most of the young men to be found in Austria wear a military uniform, and it is not to be wondered that laborious work falls to women where the young men are all dragged off to serve in the army. In all this fine country through which we passed the only implements used seemed to be the hoe and the plow, and the latter mostly of very primitive construction. Agricultural implements for the saving of labor are not used, as mowing and haymaking was in progress, and there were no patent mowers or horse-rakes to be seen. On the train with us were the mother and sister of the Emperor of Austria, on their way to visit the King of Bavaria, who viewed these field-scenes without a thought for the poor women who were bending to the scythe. This reminds us of a remark made in our hearing by an Austrian a few days previous. In speaking of the Empress, he said she was fond of horses and dogs, and kept a great number; that in hunting she would break down several horses in a day; that she would nurse and pet a lame dog or a sick horse, but that she never gave a thought to the condition of the poor among her subjects.—Baltimore American.